The government has given taxpayers a last-minute relief by extending the income tax return (ITR) filing deadline for AY 2025-26 to September 16, 2025, after the e-filing portal faced heavy traffic and glitches on the earlier last date, September 15.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced that over 7.3 crore ITRs were filed till September 15, surpassing last year’s 7.28 crore filings. However, many users reported being unable to log in, pay advance tax, or download their Annual Information Statement (AIS).

To address these complaints, the Income Tax Department suggested clearing browser cache or switching browsers, but issues persisted. Chartered accountants and taxpayers flooded social media with complaints, forcing the extension.

Interestingly, September 15 also marked the due date for the second installment of advance tax, adding to the load on the system.

This is the second extension this year—the original deadline of July 31 was earlier pushed to September 15 due to structural changes in ITR forms. Now, taxpayers have until September 16 to file without penalties.

This surge in filings reflects India’s expanding tax base and rising compliance levels.